Try NFL Sport Channel Seach:
Selected searches:
NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season Superbowl
Items by
Dallas Cowboys Morning Minicamp Notes
Published: June 15, 2009
No Comments
11:09 — They’re doing position drills now. With picks a priority for DBs, they’re putting in a lot of work catching passes. Safeties coach Brett Maxie, a QB during his days a Dallas’ Madison High, is firing balls from short range after the DBs do various drops. There’s a fairly high drop ratio, with Terence Newman, Ken Hamlin and Courtney Brown among the clankers.
11:15 — Team drills just started. First-team O vs. second-team D. … Believe it or not, Tony Romo’s first pass went to Jason Witten in traffic. CB Orlando Scandrick broke it up.
11:19 — Lots of running plays, and you really can’t tell a whole lot from those, considering the Cowboys aren’t wearing pads. … Stephen McGee is getting some reps with the third-team O. He eluded pressure and threw a knuckleball strike to sixth-round TE John Phillips for a 10-yard completion.
11:22 — OLB Anthony Spencer just got his end turned on a neat sweep play to Marion Barber. Can’t describe it in detail, per the Cowboys’ new minicamp media policy.
11:25 — Team drills ended with third-round LB Jason Williams getting to Jon Kitna on a blitz. … Break for water and orange slices.
11:28 — 7-on-7 starts with a Romo throwaway. It appears that WR Roy Williams, who takes coaching well, thought he was open on the play. …. Romo threw an out to Williams the next play. Williams was open, but Romo’s throw was high and outside. Williams couldn’t make what would have been a spectacular one-hand grab. … Next play: A fade to Williams, who was blanketed by CB Mike Jenkins, who broke up the pass.
11:30 — Undrafted WR Kevin Ogletree and Romo aren’t having trouble clicking. The Virginia product had catches on consecutive plays: a short out and a deep slant about 18 yards downfield.
11:33 — Jon Kitna can still wing it, but he had too much confidence in his arm when he tried to zip a skinny post to undrafted WR Julian Hawkins. S Jerome Carter, a roster long shot, should have picked it off but had the ball clank off his hands.
11:35 — Undrafted QB Rudy Carpenter is getting some 7-on-7 reps. His first pass was a completed hitch to seventh-round WR Manny Johnson in front of Terence Newman. … Carpenter to Johnson again, this one a completion across the middle in front of SS Gerald Sensabaugh. … Those guys really shouldn’t be able to complete passes against the starting D.
11:37 — Great catch by Roy Williams on a deep ball from Tony Romo!! Williams got wide open behind CB Mike Mickens and S Pat Watkins on a pump-and-go. If Romo hits Williams in stride, it’s an easy touchdown. But Williams had to make a great adjustment to catch the pass over his outside shoulder.
11:38 — Dropped INT by Mike Mickens on a Romo-to-Crayton crossing route. None of the starters got open against the third-team secondary on the play, and Romo patted the ball in the pocket several times before trying to thread the needle across the middle. … TE John Phillips caught a ball near the sideline about 20 yards downfield. Kitna threw a strike between rookie LB Brandon Williams and rookie S Mike Hamlin.
11:43 — 7-on-7 is over. Team drills again.
11:45 — TE Martellus Bennett ran a 10-yard out. Romo threw a 20-yard out. … Incompletion on a slant to Roy Williams, who barely got his fingertips on the high pass and would have gotten laid out by a safety in a game.
11:47 — Drop by Jason Witten on a slant. A Witten apologist in the press box points out that the ball was slightly behind him, but he got both hands on it.
11:48 — Another Romo-to-Ogletree connection. This one was on a drag route with Courtney Brown all over Ogletree, but Romo squeezed the ball in a small window. … Another nice catch by Roy Williams. This one was on a 15-yard out, with Williams snatching a pass over his head while making sure he got both feet in bounds.
11:51 — Ogletree couldn’t get open against Terence Newman, who broke up Kitna’s pass on a slant route. … Orlando Scandrick picked off the next pass across the middle. Kitna and Ogletree didn’t appear to be on the same page on the crossing route.
11:54 — Manny Johnson got good separation from Scandrick on a corner route. Kitna was able to complete the pass for a 30-plus-yard gain despite throwing off his back foot due to pressure.
11:58 — The defense is working a little on its “Cowboy” package — the 3-3 variation of the nickel. Wade Phillips found a way to get Anthony Spencer involved, but I can’t be more specific … A hurried Stephen McGee hit Terence Newman in the numbers for an easy pick six.
12:01 — Third-team offense ain’t exactly sharp. C Matt Spanos rolled a shotgun snap to McGee. And that’s it for the morning session. Back with much more later.
Some other news of interest:
Other injuries of note:
Miles Austin (hamstring) – out for entire minicamp
Sam Hurd (quad) – out for entire minicamp
DE Igor Olshansky (back) – out for entire minicamp
On the positive side, paralyzed scout Rich Behm watched the practice from the press box. Wade Phillips thinks he will be able to return to limited duties.
Dallas Cowboys’ 2009 Position Battle: Cornerback
Published: June 13, 2009
No Comments
This starts a series of articles in which I will look the position battles within the Dallas Cowboys. The first article I will look at will probably be one of the most intriguing to me, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.
The Cowboys probably got the steal of the draft last year with Orlando Scandrick in the fifth round. Some teams said there were character issues and that probably was the reason that he dropped.
Both players are young and have the speed to play man to man coverage. They are both equally capable to start on the opposite corner of Terence Newman. Who would you start? Based on where they were picked in the draft, I believe Scandrick actually made better progress. The coaches feel that either one could fit in.
You would expect that being a first round pick that it should be Jenkins. I would go with Jenkins and that is not necessarily a knock against Scandrick. My point is that Scandrick played the slot cornerback in the nickle and dime packages last year and he did an outstanding job. The team could also rotate each player and keep them fresh.
I like both players, they have been receiving high praise from the coaches, teammates, and media. They are both competing fiercely to be the starter. This bodes well for the Cowboys. Sometime in the future, these two will probably be the Cowboys starting cornerbacks.
There may be some smaller battles for spots on the team between Courtney Brown, who played safety last year. That experiment failed, and Cowboys brought him back to cornerback this off season. He has had good practices during these Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
Mike Mickens, rookie picked in the seventh round, could be this years version of Orlando Scandrick. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to attend these workouts because he hasn’t graduated from University of Cincinnati and school is still in session. It will be interesting how he will learn the Cowboys plays.
Dallas Cowboys: What Are Their Strengths/Weaknesses?
Published: June 3, 2009
No Comments
If you looked at the Cowboys’ roster, what would you say would be the strength of this team? How about the weakness? I will try and sort these out in this article today. This is a very preliminary analysis; things could change once the minicamp and training camp start.
I have ranked the positions below and explain my reasoning.
1. Running Back: I think this became the strength of the team based on what we knew about Marion Barber and Felix Jones, but also how Tashard Choice came through at the end of last season.
I don’t think the Cowboys really knew what they got when they drafted Choice last year. When Barber and Jones went down with injuries last year, Tashard came in and proved that he could do just as well starting as the running back. Now, this year they all come in healthy and could give the Cowboys the kind of running attack they need.
My philosophy on the running back rotation would be to not to have a specific starter. Spread the ball evenly among the three backs. Barber would have to be the one to finish the game. Jones and Choice would wear out the defenses through the game, and Barber would punish them at the end of the game.
2. Tight Ends: With All-Pro Jason Witten, you can pencil him as the best in the NFL. There is no question that he is Tony Romo’s security blanket. You saw a lot of progress in Martellus Bennett last year and a lot of hope for this season. Behind them, you have Rodney Hannah and the rookie, John Phillips, battling for the third tight end.
The Cowboys could show a lot of two-tight-end sets to help give Romo more options or be used as blockers for the running game.
3. Linebackers: With the departure of Zack Thomas, Kevin Burnett, and just recently Greg Ellis, the linebacker corps will consist of DeMarcus Ware and Bradie James as the only returning linebackers this year. I think this actually weakened them, based on experience lost.
The Cowboys will have to rely on Anthony Spencer to live up to his potential to fill in for Ellis. I thought Spencer looked good in the games he played in his rookie year. Last year, he seemed to be injury prone and never made any progress.
The Cowboys are taking a leap of faith in him and the rookies they drafted, Victor Butler and Brandon Williams, to fill in for the loss of Ellis.
The Cowboys also brought in Keith Brookings and Matt Stewart, both who have experience with Wade Phillips 3-4 defense. This could help the linebackers turn it around.
4. Defensive Backs: The only returning starting defensive backs are Terence Newman and Ken Hamlin. You would think this would weaken the team. But I am in the belief that either Mike Jenkins or Orlando Scandrick could start and do well on the other side. I think Scandrick actually showed more progress than Jenkins, but I believe in both corners.
Ken Hamlin should return back to Pro Bowl form. I think last year, he had to improvise due to Roy Williams injury and Patrick Watkins and Keith Davis not up to par. It hurt his performance last year, but I don’t think that will be the case this year.
With the pick up of Gerald Sensabaugh, from what I have heard, I definitely believe he will be better than Roy Williams in coverage.
5. Quarterback: Say what you want about Romo, but I believe he is determined to have a better season. For this to happen, he definitely needs to cut the turnovers and mistakes down.
He also needs to limit those make or break plays and throw the ball away when there is no play there. Despite the loss of the guy up in Buffalo, NY, he will still have plenty of weapons to spread the ball around.
6. Wide Receivers: Roy Williams may not be like the guy up in Buffalo, but with a better feel for Romo and the team of this year, he may prove to be what the Cowboys want.
Everyone seems to be counting out Patrick Crayton, but he actually has the best hands on the team. Despite the drop in the 2007 playoff game, he can still stretch the field.
Miles Austin has a lot to prove that he can be the number two receiver. I hope that he can, but I still need to see it. The other receivers also need to do better and stay away from injuries.
7. Offensive Line: This unit definitely lost some of its luster last season when Kyle Kozier went down. It became a sieve and Romo never seemed to have time to throw. The running game was ok, but never what we expected.
I believe the starters will do better, they have to. I don’t see much depth to help out. If the offense becomes more dependent on the run than the pass, I think they will do better.
But if it is the opposite and rely too much on the pass, there could be problems.
8. Defensive Line: The Cowboys lost Chris Canty to the New York Giants and brought in Igor Olshansky from San Diego, another player with Wade Phillips experience. Many people say that the Cowboys didn’t lose much with this switch.
Jay Ratliff will remain at the defensive tackle, but who will back him up? Jay Siavii is designated as the backup, but how will he perform if he is called in to play?
Marcus Spears can stuff the run a few plays, but in others he seems to be pushed off fairly easy. Can he prove himself during his final year of his contract?
9. Special Teams: I will admit this is based on the performance of last year, but this could be the wild card of all the units on this team. Joe DeCamillis has come in and is changing the attitude of the special teams. He is a fiery coach and can motivate these players to perform the way they should.
I think this years draft was something to help this unit out. We shall see.
Now, just because I ranked these units, they all still have to work together to make the whole team stronger. For the passing game to be successful, we will need an effective running game. There also has to be better blocking and smarter quarterback play. The same can be said for the running game.
To get more turnovers/interceptions, we need more pressure on the quarterback to force mistakes and those turnovers. This will help the defensive backs cover better. As they do that, it will give more time for pressure up front.
Special teams need to give the defense a better chance in winning the field position battle.
For me, it lays on the shoulders of the head coach to get this team strong all the way around.
So what do you think is the strength of the team?
DeMarcus Ware: The Ultimate Team Player?
Published: May 20, 2009
No Comments
DeMarcus Ware is the Cowboys’ best defensive player on the team right now. Ever since he started playing for the Cowboys, he has been a beast and improved his play every year. He is on his last year of his contract and discussions are ongoing to sign him to a new deal.
I know that every team has a player on it that exudes the personality of a team player. What makes him the ultimate team player?
These days, the term of team player seems to be lost. You hear of players holding out of team activities until they get the contract they want. In my opinion, when they hold out, they are hurting the team. Sure, when they get back, it appears that everything is all and well.
DeMarcus Ware’s attitude can be quoted as this:
“I’m a guy that’s always been about hard work. That’s what got me where I am right now. Why would you take some days off to jeopardize the team? If you want to be a team player, that’s how you’ve got to do it. Sometimes you’ve got to sacrifice, and that’s what I’m doing now.”
You can’t beat that! I believe he could have another banner year in sacks this year. He always works on improving his game. And he has the chance to be one of the highest paid defensive player in guaranteed money, but he still puts his nose to the grindstone.
I do hope his attitude is seen by some of the young rookies and the other players and they do the right thing. That’s what makes him a leader!
Compare this to Anquan Boldin of the Arizona Cardinals. Instead of finishing out his last two years of his contract, he is proclaiming loudly that he wants a new contract or be traded. He appeared at one of the Cardinals’ OTA practices, but he didn’t participate. Does this really help the team? I don’t think so.
I believe a lot of the agents are really the problem when players hold out. Let the players prove themselves first if they want to get paid!
DeMarcus Ware is the ulimate team player and a leader. He worked hard to get where he is, so why stop working hard just to get paid?
DeMarcus, you are my ultimate team player!
Was This Cowboys’ Draft Special?
Published: April 28, 2009
No Comments
When I turned on ESPN on Saturday to watch the draft, I was excited to see the players the Cowboys would select. The history of Cowboys drafts has always been good. They usually make a big splash in the draft.
As it got closer to the Cowboys’ pick at No. 51, I was watching the Cowboys Draft War Room and they seemed lost and unprepared. Time expired, and the Cowboys still did not make a pick. Then it was told that they traded their only day one pick.
How could they do that? I was so disappointed. I stayed home and watched the draft for this? You have got to be kidding me? Good thing I didn’t waste a trip up to Arlington to the draft party. It wouldn’t have been a waste in one aspect—meeting up with other Cowboys fans!
Day two came and I was expecting the Cowboys to just pick 5-7 players and trade the others away. No they used most of them and picked 12 players. I didn’t pay much attention to a lot of the college players this year, so I didn’t know the picks.
The Cowboys offense and defense are pretty much set, except maybe wide receiver. There may be a need for better offensive and backup defensive linemen as well. The part of the team that I believe every Cowboy fan can acknowledge was terrible is special teams.
Nick Folk didn’t have a single kickoff for a touch back last season! He had five kicks that went out of bounds for a penalty. He is a good field goal kicker, but I always cringed at his kickoffs. He said he had problems with directional kicks and Bruce Read chose for him to do just that.
The coverage teams were terrible as well.
I believe that this draft was special. It helped to strengthen the special teams and pick up the trash at the bottom of the roster, to make room for improvement. Will these players do it? We won’t know until they get practicing and playing.
I can’t really give a grade for this draft. Compared to previous years and the big names, yes, this was a draft that I can’t say was great or even good. My only hope is that these players understand what it means to be a Cowboy and earn that star on their helmet!
